Wild life among the Koords
HAVING been appointed by an Imperial firman to the command of the troops stationed in Koordistan, I hastened to leave Constantinople, and after nine days' voyage I entered Erzerum, then the headquarters of the army of Anatolia. My stay in Erzerum was but of short duration. Official visits to the commander-in-chief and to the small and big pashas forming part of the staff, some affairs connected with the administration of my troops, all having been settled in fi\e or six days, I set to prepare myself for the journey to Van.
In a country where everything is wanting, everything must be provided for ; the smallest details mustbe taken into calculation, otherwise the traveller is sure of finding himself in a helpless position in the...
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
Travelling Preparations Beheram-Agha Departure from Erzerum
The Kiunbet Deveh-boinu The Valley of Passin
Travelling Method for Ladies Supposed Genoese Ruins
Ertef Eiubler Our Halting-place / 1-22
CHAPTER II.
Route to Kullee Panorama of the Valley of the Araxes Koordish
Mourning The Chief of the Village Interior of a Koordish
House Passage of the Araxes A Koordish Caravan Country
on the other side of the Araxes / 23-45
CHAPTER III.
The Mountain Pass The Valley of the Ennis A small Caravan
encamped View of the Subhan-dagh Squabble with Beheram
Agha His Adventures Arrival at Koslu There we
pass the Night Kara-kupru The Ennis / 46-68
CHAPTER IV.
Karaghil The Euphrates Arrival on the Banks of the River
The Ferry-boat The Proprietor The Soldiers Crossing the
River Tegut Pirun / 69-89
CHAPTER V.
Lake Nazik View of the Lake of Van The Village of Kazmuk
Armenian Girls The Road to Tedvan Caravan of Pedestrians
Tedvan Description of the Road to Ortab Ortab Sorp
The Harbour Vessels on the Lake / 90-116
CHAPTER VI.
Road to Nusheh Koordish Shepherds Our Halting-place
Koordish Horsemen Nusheh Interior of a House Discovery
of Ancient Relics Vastan The Isle of Akhtamar Skiffs
Enghir Edremit Arrival at Van View of Van. / 117-143
CHAPTER VII.
Koordistan and Armenia Their Ancient and Present Limits
Province of Van Its Climate Its Produce Its Population
Its Administration and Revenue Province of Hakkiari Its
Climate Its Produce Its Population and Administration
The Animal Kingdom in this Region Source of the Tigris. / 144-170
CHAPTER VIII.
The City of Van The Fortress The Suburbs The Gardens-
Its Population Ressul Pasha The Fishery Dervish Bey
Sheran Bey Yedi-kilissieh The School The Newspaper. / 171-202
CHAPTER IX.
Origin of the Koords Their Nationality Their Language Their
Religion and Superstitions The Rock of the Sheyts Discovery
of an Assyrian Monument / 203-232
CHAPTER X.
Character of the Koords Shekh Ali of the Milans Ahmed Agha
of the Mugurus Koordish Depredations The Bilbash Female
Bandits Manners, Customs, and Resources of the Koords
Koordish Women General Remarks / 233-258
CHAPTER XI.
The Armenians Their Character and Condition The Jews
Polygamy Their Trade The Nestorians Their Creed
Their Condition The Yezids Their Worship Their ConditionThe
Kisil-bashes The Tribe / 259-286
CHAPTER XII.
Departure for Kotur Khosh-guiedighi Hansal-kaleh Lake
Ertjek Extraordinary Art of Robbery Ertjek Mehemetik
Mollah Hassan Camp of Ahmi His Reception / 287-3 1 5
CHAPTER XIII.
Asturdji Serai Temo the Nestorian Sherefhaneh Koordish
Camp The Valley of the Kotur River Arrival at Kotur
The Fortress Its District The Mudir Ahmed-Agha The
Albanian Bashibozooks Adventures of Ismail-Agha / 316-343
CHAPTER XIV.
The Shikiak and the Milan Tribes Their Feuds Omer-Agha
Koordish Tactics Emigration to Persia Death of Omer
Return of the Milans They are Attacked Negotiations at
Serai Punishment inflicted on the Chiefs / 344-369
CHAPTER XV.
Fresh Disturbances Encounter at Tchol-tchemen Bivouac
Tournament of the Milan Chiefs Dance Burial of a Warrior / 370-381
PREFACE
A STKIKING proof of the power exerted over the human mind by historical and religious traditions, is the irresistible attraction which the localities known as having been the scenes of extraordinary events have over our imagination. What can better illustrate this fact than the attraction exerted by Palestine, Egypt, Greece, and Italy on the minds of men from generation to generation? The traditions attached to these countries have been handed down as a valuable inheritance from father to son, and every successive generation has endeavoured to rival that which preceded it by sending forth a series of travellers on perilous journeys, with the view of instituting diligent, and often unrewarded^ researches into the present condition and past history of lands so celebrated.
But, besides Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Palestine, where little is left to reward scientific investigations, is there no other country which attracts our attention and deserves our labours ? The high plateau of Armenia, Northern Koordistan, is a country which, had it no other claim on the world's attention, has unquestionably that of historical priority, being believed to have been twice the cradle of the human race, and subsequently the seat of the Assyrian, Median, and Armenian monarchies. That Northern Koordistan is the country represented as having been, in the first instance, the cradle of the human race, the Eden of the Bible, is proved by a comparison of the Scriptural text with the topographic features and climate of that region. It is stated, in the second chapter of Genesis, that there was in the Garden of Eden a "river" from which diverged four streams, the Pison, the Gihon, the Hiddekel, and the Euphrates. Of these four streams or rivers three have their source in the mountainous region of Northern Koordistan, the province of Van, and are known in our days by similar names. The Gihon is still called by the Persians the Djihoon-ra-asar, the Araxes of western nations; the Hiddekel is known as the Dedjel, while the Euphrates is denominated the Fratt. As for the Pison, no traces of its existence, or of the course which it pursues, have yet been ascertained.
The existence of these three rivers is a powerful evidence in proof of the identity of this region with the land where the Garden of Eden is stated to have been. Notwithstanding any objection which may be brought to bear against this fact, I am convinced that the high plateau of Armenia possesses such points of similarity with the description of the Garden of Eden that little or no doubt can be entertained that rfc must have been the scene of the early events connected with the history of our race recorded in the Book of Genesis. This belief is based on the following considerations. While the plateau formed by Lake Van and its tributaries is endowed with great fertility, and possesses in a high degree the charms of natural beauty, this garden-like territory is surrounded by wastes of relatively sterile soil and sun-burnt plains. The splendid scenery and the exuberant fertility of this region are still as proverbial as they must always have been throughout the East. The belief amongst Turks, Koords, and Christians of all races is that no place on earth can equal this favoured spot, the common saying being " Duniada Van, khareteh iman* In this world Van, in the other Faith.
The second instance in which the high plateau of Armenia is believed to have been the cradle of the human race was after the Deluge. It is related in Genesis that Noah's ark rested on Mount Ararat, from which centre his children spread in all directions over the earth. This scriptural statement is supported by the traditions which exist among the different races of Northern Koordistan. According to these traditions, the ark touched ground at first on the Subhan mountain, which rises above the north-western shore of Lake Van, but, as Noah could not succeed in effecting a landing there, he remained seven days more within the ark, till it rested at last on Ararat, where he and his family made their exit from it. The Scriptures are thus in harmony with tradition to prove that this part of Asia was the cradle of the human race after the diluvian catastrophe.
This summary reference to the geography and history of this region is intended to convey to the reader a general view of the subject which the contents of the work will develop in its details. In my work, " La Turquie sous le Eegne d'Abdul-Aziz," published in 1868, I was compelled to sacrifice, in a great measure, geographical and ethnological questions to paramount political interests. The highly flattering testimonial,* however, which Sir Eoderick Murchison, President of the Eoyal Geographical Society, granted to this work on account of the geographical and ethnological details which might be gleaned from its contents, has encouraged me to undertake the pre sent publication, trusting that, through my exertions, a gleam of light may be thrown on the present condition of that portion of the globe which was at one time the seat of mighty empires, but is now sunk under the weight of ignorance and barbarism.
* See address at the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, 25th May, 1868. Millingen's "Observations on Armenia and Koordistan."
WILD LIFE AMANG THE KOORDS
Major Frederick Millingen F.R.G.S.
Author of
"LA TURQUIE SOUS LE REGNE d'ABDUL-AZIZ"
LONDON :
Hurst and Blackett, Publishees
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1870
